Shoe polishing device



Dec. 11, 1962 A. WEISSENBACH SHOE POLISHING DEVICE Filed Oct. 29, 1959INVENTOR A Mad l l e/ssenbach United States This invention relates toshoe-polishing devices, and particularly to devices for applying polishto the surface of leather shoes and the like. In a more particularsense, the invention relates to devices for effecting transfer of polishfrom a container to an applicator suitable for conveying the polish tothe shoe surface.

In polishing shoes, the step of applying wax or polish is commonlyattended with inconvenience and annoyance. Transferring polish from itscontainer to an applicator, e.g. a brush or cloth, usually involvesintimate manual contact with the open polish can and the polish-bearingregion of the applicator; it is consequently diflicult to avoid gettingpolish on the hands. Moreover, the container must 'be opened before thepolish is applied and shut thereafter, since it is necessary to keep itcovered when not in use to avoid desiccation of the polish by prolongedexposure to air.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a devicefor transferring polish to an applicator quickly and convenientlywithout bringing the hands into proximity with the open polish surface.Another object is to provide such a device wherein the applicator itselfserves as a cover for the polish container fixably positionabletherewith, to prevent excessive exposure of the polish to air whileobviating the necessity of separately opening the container beforetransferring the polish to the applicator. A further object is toprovide a device of the aforementioned character which is essentiallyrefillable, i.e. to which a fresh container of polish may be simply andreadily introduced when the original supply of polish is exhausted. Astill further object is to provide such a device wherein the containerand applicator may be carried together as a single unit for convenientstorage. Another object is to provide such a unit wherein thecontainerholding structure is adapted to bear on its exterior surfaces abrush and buffing pad, with the applicator adapted to serve as a handlefor the unit when fixed in the structure, so that the unit with brushand bufl'ing pad mounted thereon may be used to shine the shoes to whichpolish has been applied, the whole comprising a complete, attractive andmarketable shoe-shine kit.

To these and other ends, the invention in a presently preferred formcontemplates the provision, within a supporting structure such as asolid block, of a passage opening at two localities in the structure,having a region adapted to contain a quantity of paste shoe polish, andincluding a cup, or other suitable element, disposed within the passagebetween the polish-containing region and one opening of the passageslidably engaging the passage walls, adapted to engage the body ofpolish and movable within the polish-containing region to advance thepolish toward the other end of the passage when displaced in thatdirection, as by the pressure of a finger. An applicator is alsoprovided, including a dauber of resilient material for receiving thepolish from the supply in the passage and conveying it to the shoesurface to be polished, adapted to be introduced into the passage at theopening remote from the cup, to position the dauber at a locality withinthe passage to which the polish may be advanced by displacement of thecup, transfer of polish to the dauber being thus effected by advancingthe polish into engagement (i.e. as necessary to position it for suchengagement) with the dauber, which is thereafter removed to transportthe polish to the shoe, without the users hands being at any timeproximately exposed to the open polish surface or ice the polish-bearingregion of the applicator. Coacting surfaces on the applicator and withinthe passage adjacent the opening at which the applicator is introducedmutually engage each other to position the dauber fixably within thepassage at the desired location; when the device is not in use, theapplicator is kept fixed within the passage to form a compact unit forstorage and to cover the polish surface, which is thereby protected fromexcessive exposure to air without the employment of a separate cover. Atthe end of the passage adjacent the cup, a region of cross-sectionsmaller than the cup may be included to prevent displacement of the cupin that direction through the passage opening.

Very preferably, the passage comprises a cavity extending through thesupporting structure and defined by the structure, with thepolish-containing region provided by a tubular internal structure, e.g.a hollow open-ended tubular container or like assembly inserted into aportion of the cavity adapted to receive it, its wall slidably engagingthe wall of the cavity; cup, polish, and cup-arresting narrow passageregion are included within or as part of this latter tubular container.A neck of smaller crosssection than the tubular container, formed Withinthe cavity at the inner end of the container-receiving cavity portion,and a stop attached to the outer supporting structure adjacent thecavity opening through which the tubular container is inserted andmovable to block this opening, prevent displacement of the tubularcontainer in either direction when it is disposed Within the cavity,thus cooperating to position it fixably therein, for assured engagementof the polish surface with the dauber when the polish is advanced withinthe tubular container to the dauber. By virtue of the inclusion of thistubular container, supply of polish to the passage is greatlyfacilitated, since the container with included cup may be prefilled withpolish and then inserted into the cavity; moreover, the tubularcontainer and associated cup may be formed of disposable material, sothat when the polish supply therein is exhausted they may simply bediscarded and replaced by a fresh polish-filled tubular container-cupunit, providing the desired readily refillable feature of the device.

The polish-containing region of the passage, cg. within the tubularcontainer, conveniently has a uniform crosssection, to simplify thedisplacement of the cup therein. A preferred geometrical configurationof the passage consists of disposing the successive portions thereofalong a rectilinear axis extending between opposite sides of the outersupporting structure, with each portion having a cylindrical shape ofappropriate diameter. The coacting mutual surfaces of applicator andpassage may be provided by internally threading a passage portion andexternally threading a region of the applicator such that the applicatormay be screwed into the passage. in addition, the outer supportingstructure may be so shaped as to be adapted to bear on opposite facesthereof a brush and buffing pad, which may be manipulated by theapplicator used as a handle when the latter is fixably positioned in thepassage, to smooth and buff the polish applied by the dauber to shoesurfaces, the device then constituting a complete shoe-shine kit.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thedetailed description hereinafter set forth, together with theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the device of FIG. '1;

FIG. 3 is another front elevational view of the device of FIG. 2',showing the movable stop in open position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG.

2, taken along the line 4-- l of FIG. 2, with the applicator removedfrom the cavity, illustrating the cup in two positions in the tubularcor-.ainer and separately including a side elevational view of theapplicator head, to indicate the dimensional relation of elements in thedevice;

PEG. 5 is a side elevational view, somewhat shortened, of the applicatorof the device of H68. 24;

PEG. 6 is a top plan view, greatly simplified, of the front end of thedevice of Fit 2, further illustrating the disposition of elementsassociated with the movable stop; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of the tubular containerincluded in the device of FIGS. 2-4.

Referring to the drawings, the invention in its illustrated embodimentincludes a supporting structure such as a block of wood lit, in the formof a rectangular solid, through which a cavity 11 extends along arectilinear axis opening on opposite sides 12, 13 of the block, atapertures :14, 15, as shown in FIG. 4. The cavity includes a region ofuniform cylindrical configuration 17, extending inwardly along the axisfrom the aperture or opening 14, adapted to contain a tubular structureor hollow cylinder 18, of suficiently large internal diameter to permitthe insertion of a mans finger therein, which holds the shoe polish tobe applied; as shown, the cylinder or container 18 is substantiallycoextensive in length with this region, and rests coaxially within it inclose engagement with the cavity walls. inwardly of the cylindricalregion, viz. at the end thereof remote from the opening 14, the cavityis preferably shaped to provide a cylindrical neck 2%, coaxial with theregion 317, having a diameter smaller than the external diameter of thecylinder i8 and forming at its juncture with the region 1'7 an annularseat 21 in a plane perpendicular to the cavity axis; the adjacent end 22of the cylinder abuts this seat, preventing displacement of the cylinderin the direction of the cavity opening 15. A final cylindrical threadedportion 23 of the cavity extends from the neck coaxially therewith tothe opening 15, and is adapted to receive the applicator, generallydesignated 24, to which polish is to be transferred from the container18.

The cylinder or container 18, illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7, comprises ahollow tube of suitable material, open at both ends, approximately equalin length to the cylindrical cavity region 17 and dimensioned to fitslidably in the region 17 with its outer wall engaging the cavity wallto hold the cylinder in coaxial relation therewith; thus, when inposition in the region 17, the cylinder forms together with the neck 20and threaded cavity portion 23 a continuous passage extending along arectilinear axis between the sides 12 and 13 of the block. A cup 2?,consisting of a cylindrical guide wall or skirt 28 closed at one end bya plane circular face 29 perpendicular to the guide wall axis, isdisposed coaxially within the cylinder 18 with its face toward thecylinder end 32 which is to lie adjacent the cavity opening 14, theexternal diameter of the cup being such that its skirt 28 slidablyengages the inner wall of the cylinder. At the end 32 the cylinder wallis rolled uniformly inward to form an annular head 33 constituting aregion of internal diameter smaller than the diameter of the cup in thedirection of the end 32; between the bead 33 and the other end 22 of thecylinder the internal diameter of the cylinder is equal at all points,providing a region of uniform cross-section 34 wherein the cup isslidably displaceable along the cylinder axis.

The internal region 34%- of the cylinder is adapted to contain a body ofshoe polish 36, the term shoe polish here referring to any appropriatewax or polish substance capable of forming a cohesive mass;specifically, the body of shoe polish is introduced into the region 34in the space between the cup 27 and the cylinder end 22, which latterspace may of course be varied in length by displacement of the cup.Preferably, the cup is initially positioned to abut the bead 33 so as toprovide the greatest possible space for receiving the polish; theintroduced body of polish 36 then fills the cylinder 18 forsubstantially its entire len tr seating in the cup and forming a masswhich, while i king structural rigidity, is nevertheless sufficientlycohesive to retain its position when the cylinder is horizontallydisposed. With the cylinder inserted in the cavity region 3.7, the bodyof wax may be advanced within it toward cylinder end 22, and inparticular toward the location of the applicator 24 in the cavity, bydisplacement of the cup 27 in that direction as indicated by the arrow37 in 7, the latter displacement being conveniently effected by pressureof the users finger inserted through the cavity opening 14- and cylinderend 32. As the polish is removed by the applicator at the polish surface38 adjacent the cylinder end 22, fresh polish is advanced to thelocality of the applicator by further displacements of the cup in thedirection of the end 22, the successive displacements of the cupbringing it closer to that end, e.g. to the position 1, shown in FIG. 4.

Very conveniently, the cylinder 1?, and cup 27 may be fabricated ofcardboard, lined internally with aluminum foil at 42 (or alternatively acoating or film of synthetic resin material such as a polyethylene) toprevent penetration of wax into the cardboard when the cylinder isinitially filled with hot molten wax and thereby to avoid adhesion ofthe wax body to the cylinder wall. This combination of cup and cylindercan be provided by a conventional type of cardboard dispensing containerhaving an upward sliding bottom, such as is used for waxes, greases, andointments; thus when the supply of polish is exhausted there from thecontainer unit may simply be discarded and a fresh polish-filledcontainer unit inserted in its place.

To prevent accidental displacement of the cylinder through the cavityopening 14 when in position in the cavity region 17, a rotatable stop orcover is provided, comprising a flat disc 44 eccentrically pivoted tothe side 12 of the block by a shaft 4-5 adjacent the cavity Opening 14and above the line of the cavity axis, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6. Thedisc has a notch 46 on its edge opposite the pivot point, and is adaptedto swing across the cavity opening 14 to a cavity-closing position,illustrated in FIG. 2, the notch then engaging a projecting lug 47,fixedly attached to the block side 12 at a location on the other side ofthe opening 14 from the pivot shaft 45, to arrest the disc; rotation ofthe disc in the opposite direction to open position, as shown in FIG. 3,affords access to the cavity opening 14 for inserting or removing thecylinder 18 or displacing the cup 27 within the cylinder. By virtue ofthe cooperation of the disc stop in closed position and the annular neckseat 21 at the other end of the cavity region 17, the cylinder 18 wheninserted in the cavity is held in fixed location relative to the cavityand associated structures.

The applicator 24, illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, consists of anelongated handle 50, conveniently made of wood, terminating in acylindrical rod member 51 to the end of which is fixedly attached adauber 52, made of resilient material such as felt, for collectingpolish from the cylinder 18 and carrying it to the shoe surface to bepolished. On the surface of the rod member is a threaded portion 53,adapted to be screwed into the threaded portion 23 of the cavityadjacent the cavity opening 15 to fixably position the dauber within thecavity; between this threaded rod portion and the dauber is a smoothcylindrical rod extension 55, the rod extension and dauber beingdimensioned to fit through the cavity neck The combined length of rodextension and dauber is preferably so chosen that, when the rod iscompletely screwed into the cavity at the opening 15, the dauber extendsslightly beyond the cylinder end 22, viz. a short distance into thecylinder end itself, to enable the polish surface 33 to contact thedauber without being advanced beyond the cylinder, e.g. to the neckregion, where polish might tend to collect and undesirably encrust theneck wall over a period of time. Although other means can be used forholding the applicasupporting structure tor in tightened engagement ofits threaded portion 53 in the supporting structure 10, such as a flangeback of the threads on the applicator, the abutment of such threads withthe passage neck 2t) can serve this function effectively. Since thedauber is fixably positioned within the cylinder 18 at the cylinder end.22 by the engagement of the threaded portions of the rod and cavity,and the cyl inder itself fixably positioned within the cavity by theannular seat 21 and stop disc 44, transfer of polish from the cylinderto the dauber is accomplished with great facility: after the polish hasbeen advanced to the dauber by displacement of the cup 27, the polishsurface and dauber are held in close engagement so that as the dauberrotates with the first turning motion of the applicator in unscrewing,it rubs against the polish surface to complete the transfer of polish,the polish-laden dauber then being ready to be applied directly to theshoe surface.

As an additional feature of convenience, bristles 56 may be mounted onone face 57 of the block it} to form a brush, and a plastic foam pad 53may be attached to the opposite block face 59 and covered with soft pilefabric 60 to form a buffing pad. When the applicator is screwed into thecavity, as illustrated in H6. 1, its handle 50, being then rigidlyassociated with the block 10, serves as a handle for the brush andbuffing pad, wherewith the brush and pad may be successively rubbedacross the surface of the shoes previously covered with polish by thedauber, to produce a satisfactory shine.

From the foregoing description the use of the device will be largelyself-explanatory. After a polish-filled cylinder 18 has been insertedinto the cylindrical cavity region 17, with the applicator screwedcompletely into the cavity so that the dauber extends slightly into thecylinder, the polish surface 38 is brought to bear against the dauber bypushing the cup 27 with a finger to displace the cup toward the cylinderend 22. With the stop disc 44 in cavity-closing position, the applicatoris then unscrewed, the first turnings completing the transfer of polishto the dauber by the interaction of polish and dauber surfaces; carriedon the dauber, which is held by the applicator handle 50, the polish isapplied to the surface of the shoe to be shined. As more polish isrequired, the applicator is screwed back into the cavity through theopening 15, and the polish again advanced to the dauber. as and ifnecessary, in the same manner as before. Thus transfer of polish fromsupply to applicator, and thence to the shoe, is effected withoutbringing the hands into proximity with the open polish surface orpolish-bearing region of the applicator at all.

When the application of polish is completed, the applicator is once morescrewed into the cavity of the block it}, and the applicator handle 50used as a handle for the brush and buffing pad to shine the polishedshoes; the applicator is afterwards kept screwed into the cavity,covering the polish, which is thereby protected from desiccation due toexcessive exposure to air without requiring the employment of a separatecover, obviating the steps of removing and replacing such a cover in theshoeshining operation. Polish, applicator, brush and buffing pad thusform a compact unit for convenient storage. As the polish supply in thecylinder 18 becomes exhausted, of course, the cylinder is simplydiscarded and a new, polish-filled cylinder-cup unit inserted in itsplace, enabling continued use of the device.

it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theconstruction herein specifically shown and described, but may beembodied in other forms without departure from its spirit as expressedin the following claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe polishing device comprising, in combination, having a passagetherein which is adapted to receive a body of shoe polish and which hasan opening at one region of said structure for access to said polish,applicator means including a dauber, adapted to be introduced in saidopening into a position for contact of the dauber with the polish,mutually engageable means on the applicator means and the supportingstructure for releasably holding the applicator means in said position,and means in said structure, operably accessible at another regionthereof and comprising a member movably disposed in the passage andadapted to engage the body of polish at a locality remote from theaforesaid position, for advancing the body of polish along the passagetoward said position, said device including shoeengageable polishingmeans mounted externally on the supporting structure, said applicatormeans including a handle portion arranged to project from the structurewhen the applicator means is held by the aforesaid mutually engageablemeans, for grasp of the device to manipulate the polishing means, saidhandle portion being elongated relative to the supporting structure, andsaid polishing means and handle portion being constructed and arranged,in disposition relative to each other and the supporting structure, formanipulation of the polishing means in polishing operation by manualhold of the handle portion alone.

2. A shoe polishing device as described in claim 1, which includes atubular container holding said body of polish and releasably disposed insaid passage, said container being open at one end toward the aforesaidopening for contact of the dauber with the polish, said passage having asecond opening through the supporting structure at said other regionthereof, and said movable member comprising a polish-engaging elementslidably disposed in the tubular container to move from the opposite endof the container toward the first end, said element being accessiblethrough the said second opening for moving the element to advance thebody of polish toward said first end of the container.

3. A snoe polishing device comprising, in combination, supportingstructure having a passage therein which is adapted to receive a body ofshoe polish and which has an opening at one end region of said structurefor access to said polish, applicator means including a dauber, adaptedto be introduced in said opening into a position for contact of thedauber with the polish, said applicator means being shaped to close theopening when introduced into said position, and said applicator meansincrudmg a handle portion arranged to project outwardly from said endregion of the supporting structure when the applicator means is disposedin said position, mutually engageable means on the applicator means andthe supporting structure for releasably holding the applicator means insaid position with the opening closed, and means in said structure,operably accessible at another region thereof and comprising a membermovably disposed in the passage and adapted to engage the body of polishat a locality remote from the aforesaid position, for advancing the bodyof polish along the passage toward said position, said device includingshoe-engageable polishing means mounted externally on the supportingstructure along a side of said structure relative to the aforesaid endregion, said handle portion of the applicator means being elongatedrelative to the supporting structure and being disposed to be graspedfor manual support of the device to manipulate the polishing means, bymanual hold of said handle portion alone, when the applicator means isheld by the aforesaid mutually engageable means.

4. A shoe polishing device comprising, in combination, supportingstructure having a cavity therein extending along a rectilinear axisthrough the structure from one end to the other and having openings atsaid respectively opposite ends of the structure, said cavity having aregion of uniform internal cross-section extending inwardly from oneopening, removable polish-holding means disposed in the cavity andcomprising a tubular inner structure open at both ends and disposedwithin and substantially coextensive in length with said region ofuniform crosssection of said cavity, and engaging the walls thereof, andmeans movable in sliding engagement within said tubular structure, saidtubular structure being adapted to hold a quantity of shoe polish andsaid movable means being arranged to abut and cover said polish at oneend of the tubular structure, said first opening of the supportingstructure being arranged to permit the movable means to be manuallyengaged through said first opening for pushing the movable means alonginside the tubular structure to advance polish toward the opposite endopening of the cavity, arresting means carried by the tubular structureadjacent its end nearest said first opening, for arresting displacementof said movable means out of said tubular structure toward the firstopening, said polishholding means being removable from the cavitythrough the first opening to permit replacement thereof with like meansproviding a fresh supply of polish, applicator means comprising a dauberof resilient material, adapted to be introduced into said passage meansat its opposite, second opening to a position locating said dauber at aregion to which said quantity of polish may be advanced by displacementof said movable means, said dauber enclosing said cavity when it isdisposed therein at said second opening, engageable means associatedwith said applicator means, and means associated with said passage meansfor engaging said engageable means to fixably locate said applicatormeans at its aforesaid position in the second opening, for closing saidopening and disposing the dauber in polish-receiving location.

5. The device of claim 4, including means associated with said cavity atthe end of said region of uniform cross-section remote from the firstopening of said cavity for engaging the adjacent end of said innerstructure to prevent displacement of said inner structure toward thesecond opening of said cavity, and stop means associated with saidsupporting structure adjacent said first opening of said cavity, movableacross said first opening of the cavity to arrest said inner structureand prevent displacement thereof in the direction of said first openingof said cavity.

6. A shoe polishing device, comprising, in combination, a supportingstructure, passage means extending along a rectilinear axis through saidstructure opening on opposite sides thereof, said passage meansincluding a cylindrical region extending inwardly from one openingthereof and a second region extending from said cylindrical region tothe second opening of said passage means and having a cylindricalthreaded portion adjacent said second passage opening, cylindrical cupmeans disposed within said cylindrical region engaging the side wallsthereof, displaceable within said cylindrical region toward said secondregion and having a circular face in a plane perpendicular to saidpassage axis, said cylindrical region being adapted to contain aquantity of shoe polish at a locality between said "cup means and saidsecond region of the passage means and said cup means being adapted toengage said quantity of shoe polish and advance it toward said secondregion when displaced in the direction of said second passage region,arresting means comprising a region at said first passage opening ofdiameter smaller than the diameter of the cup means, for arresting thedisplacement of said cup means in the direction of said first passageopening, applicator means comprising rod means having a threaded portionon the surface thereof, a dauber of resilient material fixedly mountedon one end thereof, and a handle integrally connected with the other endthereof, said rod means and dauber being adapted to be screwed into saidpassage means with the threaded portion on said rod means in engagementwith the threaded portion of said second passage region, to advance saiddauber to said cylindrical region and fixably locate it at a position towhich the quantity of shoe polish may be advanced by displacement 3 ofsaid cup means, said rod means and dauber being shaped to close theopening when introduced into said position, and said handle beingarranged to project from the supporting structure when the rod means anddauber ar disposed in said position.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said passage means comprises a cavityprovided within said supporting structure, extending along .arectilinear axis, open at both ends and including a cylindrical regionextending inwardly from one opening thereof and a second regionextending from said cylindrical region to the second opening of thecavity, and a cylindrical tubular inner structure open at both endsdisposed within and substantially coextensive in length with saidcylindrical region of the cavity, engaging the side Walls thereof andremovable therefrom at said first cavity opening, having an internalcylindrical region extending inwardly from the end of said innerstructure adjacent said first cavity opening to provide said cylindricalregion of the passage means and a region of diameter smaller than thediameter of said cup means at said last-mentioned end to constitute saidarresting means for the cup means, said second region of the cavityincluding a cylindrical neck of diameter smaller than the diameter ofsaid inner structure extending from said cylindrical region of thecavity toward the second opening thereof and forming at its juncturewith said cylindrical region an annular seat in a plane perpendicular tosaid cavity axis engageable with the adjacent end of said innerstructure to prevent displacement of the latter toward said secondcavity opening, and a further region extending from said neck to saidsecond opening including a cylindrical threaded portion adapted toengage the threaded portion on said rod means, said second region of thecavity thus constituting the second region of said passage means, andwherein also is included stop means pivotally connected to saidsupporting structure adjacent said first cavity opening, adapted to berotated in a plane perpendicular to said passage axis across said firstopening to prevent displacement of said inner structure in the directionof said first opening.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said inner structure comprises acardboard cylinder open at both ends, lined internally with metal foil,having its walls turned inwardly at one end thereof to form an annularinward projection to constitute said region of diameter smaller than thediameter of the cup means, and wherein said cup means is formed ofcardboard, said inner structure and cup means together constituting adisposable, replaceable unit.

9. A shoe polishing device as described in claim 7, which includesshoe-engageable polishing means mounted externally on the supportingstructure, said handle of said applicator means being disposed to begrasped for manual support of the device to manipuate the polishingmeans, when the applicator means is held by mutual engagement of theaforesaid threaded portion of said rod means and said passage means, forgrasp of the device to manipulate the polishing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS718,969 Altshul Jan. 27, 1903 789,318 Emory May 9, 1905 1,310,670Peterson July 22, 1919 1,534,827 Aste Apr. 21, 1925 2,083,448 HummelJune 8, 1937 2,689,966 Reuss Sept. 28, 1954 2,789,301 Harvey Apr. 23,1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,836 Great Britain of 1905

